1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display panel and a method of manufacturing the display panel. More particularly, the present invention relates to a display panel capable of adjusting a transmittance of liquid crystal contained therein and a method of manufacturing the display panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display (“LCD”) apparatus, which is a common flat panel display apparatus, has various desirable characteristics, such as being thin and lightweight, and having a low driving voltage, for example. As a result, the LCD apparatus is employed in various electronic devices such as monitors, notebook computers, mobile phones and large-sized television sets, for example.
The LCD apparatus typically includes an LCD panel which displays an image by controlling a transmittance of liquid crystal, a backlight assembly disposed under the LCD panel to provide the LCD panel with light, a printed circuit board (“PCB”) for driving the LCD panel and a flexible printed circuit board (“FPCB”) which electrically connects the PCB to the LCD panel.
The LCD panel typically includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer and a seal line. The first substrate includes a plurality of pixels and is electrically connected to the PCB through the FPCB. The second substrate faces the first substrate, and the liquid crystal layer is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The seal line is also disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate to seal the liquid crystal.
The FPCB typically includes a gate circuit film to apply gate signals to the first substrate and a data circuit film to apply data signals to the first substrate.
The gate circuit film is electrically connected to a gate pad typically formed at a left lateral end portion, as viewed from a top perspective, e.g., viewing a top plan view, of the first substrate. Further, the data circuit film is electrically connected to a data pad typically formed at an upper lateral end portion, as viewed from the top perspective, of the first substrate. Additionally, a panel naming mark for indicating characteristics and records of the first substrate is generally formed at the left lateral end portion of the first substrate.
Since the gate pad and the panel naming mark are formed at the left lateral end portion of the first substrate and the data pad is formed at the upper lateral end portion of the first substrate, a size of the first substrate is necessarily larger than a size of the second substrate. In other words, the second substrate is physically smaller than the first substrate so that a left lateral end portion and the upper lateral end portion of the first substrate are exposed, e.g., not covered by the second substrate.
However, moisture may condense and form water droplets on the left lateral end portion and the upper lateral end portion of the first substrate. Further, the water droplets may spread on the left lateral end portion and the upper lateral end portion of the first substrate and thereby penetrate into a space between the first substrate and the second substrate, causing a display quality of the LCD apparatus to deteriorate.